Miniaturized illuminating umbrella grip

ABSTRACT

An illuminating umbrella grip includes: a lamp preferably selected from LED and mounted in the umbrella grip; and a control box having batteries stored in the box and separately secured to the umbrella grip by a string or strap having the electric wires, as connected between the batteries and the lamp, formed within the string, whereby upon an on or off operation of the batteries in the control box, the lamp on the grip will be turned on for illumination or be turned off.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,509 issued to the same inventors of this application dissiclosed an illuminating umbrella grip having a LED illuminating unit mounted in a holder formed on the umbrella grip.

However, such a prior art has the following drawbacks:

-   1. The umbrella grip should be provided with a cavity (201) in the     grip for mounting the LED illuminating unit (100) in the cavity,     thereby requiring a big volume for accommodating the LED unit and     influencing the miniaturization of an umbrella grip and a foldable     umbrella. -   2. The switch (4) of the illuminating unit (100) is formed on the     bottom of the umbrella grip. It is therefore difficult to operate     the switch whenever using the umbrella. -   3. It is also difficult to replace the batteries as stored in the     bottom portion of the umbrella grip.

The present inventor has found the drawbacks of the prior art and invented the miniaturized illuminating umbrella grip.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an illuminating umbrella grip including: a lamp preferably selected from LED and mounted in the umbrella grip; and a control box having batteries stored in the box and separately secured to the umbrella grip by a string or strap having the electric wires, as connected between the batteries and the lamp, formed within the string, whereby upon an on or off operation of the batteries in the control box, the lamp on the grip will be turned on for illumination or be turned off.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional drawing of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional drawing of the present invention as viewed from 2-2 direction of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an illustration showing the power connection system including the lamp, the batteries and the switch of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows an electric circuit of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows the “off” condition of the electric circuit of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows the “on” condition of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows the “on” condition of the present invention when constantly turning on the lamp.

FIG. 8 shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows still another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIGS. 1˜7, the present invention comprises: an umbrella grip 1 secured to a central shaft 1 a of an umbrella (not shown); a lamp 2 preferably selected from a light-emitting diode (LED) formed in the grip 1; a control box 3 having at least a battery 4 stored in the box 3 and secured to the grip 1 by a string (or a strap) 5. The battery (or batteries) 4 forms (or form) as a power supply or power source of the lamp 2.

A loop member 51 may be further provided to be secured to the control box 3 for carrying or hanging the grip 1.

The grip 1 is formed with a lamp socket 11 in the grip for mounting the lamp 2 in the lamp socket 11, and also formed with a string hole 12 through the grip for passing, the string 5 through the string hole 12.

The string 5 has its outer end secured to the control box 3 by an outer adapter 5 a, and having an inner end of the string 5 fastened in the grip by an inner adapter 5 b.

The grip 1 further includes a push button 13 slidably secured in the grip 13 for engaging a runner (not shown) of an automatic umbrella when folding the umbrella or for disengaging the runner when opening the umbrella. However, the grip 1 may be utilized for a non-automatic umbrella, not limited in the present invention.

The control box 3 includes a bottom cover 31, an upper cover 32 detachably combined with the bottom cover 31 for confining a battery chamber 30 in between the bottom cover 31 and the upper cover 32 for storing a battery or a plurality of batteries 4 in the battery chamber 30, and a switch 33 slidably held in a switch socket 34 formed in the two covers 31, 32 of the box 3 for switching on or off the power supply from the battery 4 to the lamp 2.

The power supply (or source) 4 may include two batteries overlapped to be connected in series as shown in FIGS. 1˜4, having a positive electrode 41 contacted with a positive contactor 43 which is electrically or constantly connected to a positive pole of the lamp 2 through a positive electric wire 44, an a negative electrode 42 of the power supply 4 operatively contacted with a negative contactor 45 resiliently formed in the box 3, when depressed by a switch 33 slidably held in the control box 3, with the negative contactor 45 electrically connected to a negative pole of the lamp 2 through a negative electric wire 46.

The negative contactor 45 is normally separated or disconnected from the negative electrode 42 of the power supply (batteries) 4 as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 by engaging a protrusion 451 formed on the negative contactor 45 with a recess 331 as recessed in the switch 33 for normally separating the negative contactor 45 from the negative electrode 42 of the power supply (batteries) 4 for normally switching off the lamp 2.

Upon a depression D of the switch 33 to contact the negative contactor 45 with the negative electrode 42 of the power supply 4 as shown in FIG. 6 and dotted line as shown in FIG. 4, the contactor 45 will be contacted with the negative electrode 42 to close the electric circuit, thereby switching on the lamp 2 for illumination.

Upon a forward pushing P of the switch 33 as shown in FIG. 7 to disengage the protrusion 451 of the contactor 45 from the recess 331 in the switch 33 to urge the contactor 45 to be forcibly contacted with the negative electrode 42 of the power supply 4, the electric circuit of the power supply to the lamp 2 will be operatively connected to constantly switch on the lamp 2 until reversely retracting the switch 33 for turning off the lamp.

The electric wires 44, 46 are jacketed within the string or strap 5. Or, the wires 44, 46 may be wrapped in a string 5 which is formed as a flexible hose connected between the control box 3 and the grip 1. Or, the wires 44, 46, when electrically insulated, may be directly formed as a string of the present invention.

The present invention is superior to the prior art with the following advantages:

-   1. The control box 3 for accommodating the batteries 4 and switch 33     is separated from the grip 1 and no longer formed in the grip so     that the grip 1 may be shortened or miniaturized adapted for making     a mini, slim or shortened multiple-fold umbrella. -   2. The switch 33 is formed on the control box 3, not on the grip 1,     so that the switch 33 may be conveniently operated. -   3. The battery 4 may be conveniently replaced with new one.

Another preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 8 by modifying the switch 33 to be a battery holder engaged with an upper battery to allow its negative electrode 42 to be slidably moved in the box and contacted with the negative contactor 45 resiliently formed in the control box 3 (direction P in FIG. 8) for closing the electric circuit between the power supply 4 and the lamp 4 for switching on the lamp 2 for illumination.

Upon a reverse sliding movement (P1) to disconnect the negative electrode 42 of the battery from the contactor 45 to open the electric circuit, the lamp 2 will be switched off.

Still, another preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 9.

The battery (or batteries) of the power supply 4 includes a tension spring 40 retained on the bottom cover 31 for urging the battery upwardly to allow the positive electrode 41 to be normally separated from the positive contactor 43 electrically connected to the positive pole of the lamp 2, a negative electrode 42 of the battery 4 constantly contacted with the negative contactor 45. electrically connected to the negative pole of the lamp 2, and the switch 33 formed on the upper cover 32 to be normally contacted with the battery; whereby upon depression D of the switch 33 to depress the battery 4 downwardly to allow the positive electrode 41 of the battery to be contacted with the positive contactor 43 for closing the electric circuit of the lamp 2 for switching on the lamp 2 for illumination.

Upon releasing of the switch 33, the tension spring 40 will resiliently urge the battery upwardly to disconnect the positive electrode 41 of the battery from the positive contactor 43, thereby opening the electric circuit of the lamp and switching off the lamp 2.

The switch 33 as shown in FIG. 9 is formed as a push button, and also formed as a main portion of the upper cover 32.

The present invention may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 

1. An illuminating umbrella grip comprising: a grip secured to a central shaft of an umbrella; a lamp mounted in said grip; a control box separately secured to said grip by a string; and a power supply including at least a battery stored in said control box and electrically connected to said lamp in said grip, and having a switch formed on said control box for switching on or off the power supply to said lamp.
 2. An umbrella grip according to claim 1, wherein said lamp is a light-emitting diode.
 3. A grip according to claim 1, wherein said control box further includes a loop member secured to said box for carrying or hanging purpose.
 4. A grip according to claim 1, wherein said control box includes a bottom cover, an upper cover combined with said bottom cover and confining a battery chamber in between said bottom cover and said upper cover for storing said battery in said battery chamber, and a switch formed in said box for switching on or off the power supply to said lamp.
 5. A grip according to claim 4, wherein said battery includes a positive electrode normally electrically connected to a positive pole of said lamp through a positive contactor formed on the bottom cover of said control box and through a positive electric wire passing through said string between said grip and said control box; and a negative electrode electrically connected to said negative pole of said lamp through a negative contactor, which is resiliently formed in said box and operated by said switch, and through a negative wire passing through said string; whereby upon operation of said switch to allow said negative contactor to be contacted with negative electrode of said battery to close an electric circuit between said lamp and said battery, said lamp is powered and switched on for illumination.
 6. A grip according to claim 5, wherein said negative contactor includes a protrusion formed on said negative contactor, and said switch slidably secured in said box and having a recess recessed in said switch to be slidably engaged with said protrusion on said negative contactor.
 7. A grip according to claim 5, wherein said switch is slidably held on said box and having a battery holder formed in said switch for engaging a battery in said battery holder, whereby upon a sliding movement of said switch and said battery to contact said negative contactor, the electric circuit between a lamp and said battery is closed for illuminating said lamp.
 8. A grip according to claim 1, wherein said battery includes a tension spring retained on a bottom cover of said control box to normally urge said battery upwardly, a positive contactor formed on the bottom cover to be electrically connected to a positive pole of said lamp and normally separated from a positive electrode of the battery as upwardly urged by said tension spring, a negative contactor formed on an upper cover of said box and normally contacting a negative electrode of said battery and electrically connected to a negative pole of said lamp, a switch formed on the upper cover and resiliently contacted with said battery as upwardly urged by said tension spring; whereby upon a downward depression of said switch to contact the positive electrode of the battery with the positive contactor, an electric circuit between said lamp and said battery is closed for illuminating said lamp. 